April 2023: Growing Up

What helped me grow up in and along my writing journey was to understand not everything I write may not be for everyone.

I had I understand that while I write the things I like, which may intrigue, scare, or inspire me — this may not be true for everyone.

I am aware what I do and will write has a waiting public — even if I have to build it.

Yet, as a writer you cannot be afraid of that building. It is the building which allows you to create, shift, change and go forward. The Audience is looking and listening — waiting to be seen.

Sometimes, the first place someone who looks like you is seen maybe in your own imagination or interpretation of the world they are often not seen in.

Do not rob them of their visibility.

Encouragement Pages – 4/22/2024

I talked about the Justice of Writing on this platform before. The Justice of Writing is that anyone can do it, there is no time frame and no time limit.

And the supreme justice — anyone can do it.

ANYONE.

Including you.

With Love & Ink,

JBHarris

Encouragement Pages – 4/19/2024

“Do not leave the arena to the fools.” -Toni Cade Bambara

There is a responsibility we have as writers to the world around us. We are in this constant state of recording and witness.

It is needed.

It is necessary.

It is medicine.

With Love & Ink,

JBHarris

April 2024: Growing Up

Dealing with criticism is different for every writer— but an occupational hazard of sorts for every writer.

What is crucial to understand boils down to three things:

1.) The invisible people on the internet are not the end all be all of criticism.

2.) If you focus on the negative aspects of creating — you will never create.

3.) The first person you write for is yourself.

With creating, you must understand that people are going to have something to say about it— but you cannot be defined or paralyzed because of it.

If this occurs, you are beholden to other people— and not yourself. When this happens, if this happens, the world is deprived of you.

What you must reckon with is this is something you want?

Encouragement Pages – 4/12/2024

There is a fluidity to writing. There is an art and metaphysical power to taking what is in your head, pushing it through your hands to see what you are saying.

To see what you want to say to the world.

Don’t give that up.

With Love & Ink,

JBHarris

April 2024: GROWING UP

In my other life as a writing coach and mentor, the resounding thing I hear most often is the fear of starting, and the fear of criticism.

While these things are valid, only one of them is within your control— the starting.

Why is this?

If you have created nothing, there is nothing to criticize. For some people, that is a power! They get to keep creativity, and their feelings in tact. And yet, they have never created the thing by which they desire to.

They have left the fear of the might over power the need for what is.

Let’s consider this.

You want to prevent criticism by not creating. Yet, by not creating you give away your power to create — for the fear of people and what they might say.

The bravest thing you can do is create despite that: recognize that criticism is something to recognize, but not big enough to keep you from creating.

Creation is louder than criticism.